Oral Systemic Link 

Oral microbiome research investigates how microbes in the oral cavity affect oral health and overall health. Several studies suggest that periodontal disease has a significant impact on general health. Periodontal disease has been independently associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, and even cognitive decline.

Dental practitioners are in a unique position to recognize and address the early warning signs of a body out of balance. Researchers are discovering the critical role that the body’s immune response plays in today’s top killers: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and many other diseases such as Alzheimer’s, colitis, Chrone’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Make Appointment

We help put you at ease and give you all the information you need to ensure you know what’s going on with your oral health. When you book an appointment or visit, let us know how you’re feeling. We’ll do all we can to help you feel relaxed. Worried about pain? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We will share pain management options applicable to your treatment

GUIDED BIOFILM THERAPY (GBT)

Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) is the systematic, predictable solution for dental biofilm management in professional prophylaxis using state of the art technologies. Basically, it’s really good for you. This treatment protocol is based on individual patient diagnosis and risk assessment, leading to optimal results. The minimally invasive GBT additionally offers the highest level of comfort, safety, and efficiency – saving 8-12 minutes per patient. Again, it basically means a more fun, comfortable and shorter dental visit with Dr. Otieno. GBT is a short two step treatment.

Make Appointment

What to Look Out For:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a serious matter as it can lead to heart problems and other health issues. It’s possible you may have OSA if you snore and suffer from any of the following:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Irritability
• Poor memory/confusion
• Accident proneness
• Night sweats
• Morning headaches
• High blood pressure
• Obesity

SLEEP APNEA

A person with sleep apnea may wake 50 or more times per hour — that’s almost once a minute! — without having any memory of it. These awakenings, called micro-arousals, last just long enough to restore muscle tone to the airway so the individual can breathe. Unfortunately, all those micro-arousals preclude deep and restful sleep.

By now you’re probably wondering: What does my dentist have to do with all this? Here’s the connection: Snoring or sleep apnea can sometimes be treated with an oral appliance available here at the dental office that is designed to hold the lower jaw forward during sleep. This repositioning of the jaw moves the tongue away from the back of the throat, reducing the potential for obstruction. This treatment is backed by a great deal of scientific evidence; it’s a good remedy to try before moving on to more complicated breathing devices or surgery to remove excess tissues in the throat.

Only a dentist can fabricate, fit, adjust, monitor, and treat complications associated with Oral Appliance Therapy used in managing SRBD.

Make Appointment

TMJ Therapy

You wake up in the morning with a tight jaw and pain towards your ears. Maybe you even get headaches and a sore neck! Did you know that all of this pain could be because you’re clenching or grinding your teeth?!

TMJ stands for temporal-mandibular joint, which is vital in the function and movement of the jaw.  Complications in this joint may be caused by misalignment of the teeth, trauma, or excessive muscle tension.  Problems in the TMJ can cause headaches, earaches, popping of the jaw, pain in the jaw muscles, and soreness in the area that may extend to the face.

YOU MAY BENEFIT FROM A PROFESSIONAL NIGHTGUARD IF YOU:

• Wake up from your sleep clenching your teeth
• See small craze lines in your teeth
• Have experienced several cracked teeth
• Have pain in the morning in your jaw
• Have small notches at the gumline of your teeth
• Get headaches and a sore neck regularly

Can TMJ go away on its own?

In most cases TMJ pain won’t disappear without treatment. When you experience constant jaw pain or are suffering from TMJ, we recommend visiting a dentist as soon as possible. The dentist will suggest the best treatment option for you, which could even mean referring you to an orthodontist or specialist to help with your treatment.

Make Appointment